Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-10-28

ham was sitting in the old Bratteboro
House W hen Deu Newman came in aud
said, "As you are up ! may ms well tell you
tonight as to wait until morning, that the
committee have decided 10 engage your ser
vices" Mr. Bingham began his first term
here on Monday, April Is, 1868, and here
he has ever since remained
IL was no easy task which Mr.. Bingham
found before him. In several instances
the committee had been unfortunate in its
selection Of teachers, for then us now the
material out Of which good teachers is made
was scarce-and in consequence the school
had fallen largely into state Of turbu-
lence and misrule. But at the outset the
new teacher let his pupils know that he
was there to command, and that he was al
so there to dothem good--that he was there
to awaken their energy and aspiration, to
teach them self-coniidence and self-respect,
10 treat them like reasonable beings Of
whom something was expected in return
and 10 help them ~ grow up 10 be men and
women. The result Of his influence was
marked from the first a new atmosphere
breathed through the school order reigned
where disorder had been the rule before !;
the boys and girls felt that IA new force was
working over them and in them, and from
that day to this the school has grown stead
lily in strength, efficiency, and as power
for good in this community and in the
state.
It is interesting, and always has an ele-
ment of the picturesque, To hear some OF
the "wild' BOYS of those DAYS relate their
early experiences with Mr.. Bingham and
the means he took to make Of them obedi-
emit diigent students. These means were
very varied often they were Of a very
pronounced character, but always they were
effective. and always the student knew in
his heart that they were used for his good.
Not only in the schoolroom was the school
masters influence felt. He knew where
the boys spent their evenings, he rescued
them with his own hand from places Of vi
cious association and insisted that their
lives should he clean and decent. For such
service they render him today sincere
thanks and gratitude.
One characteristic Of Mr. Bingham's life
long influence in his school is notable, and
that is the uniform respect which he has
always inspired in his pupils However
rebellious individual students may have
been at heart or in act, however hard they
may have kicked against the pricks, the old
scholars now stand forth as one, an army
more than n thousand strong to declare
that his dealing with them was wise and
Just and for their good
Another characteristic which deserves
especial mention is Mr. Bingham's unfail-
ing way of trying TO make every pupil
stand on his own feet and 10 bring out his
oftentimes latent self confidence and self
respect Every one who has been often Il
visitor in the High school room knows that
it is "A rule which has no exception to teach
the pupil what is in him, to teach him com
mand of his own faculties and never, il
possible to emasculate his manhood with a
discouraged, Illuminating sense of failure
and disgrace and of not being as other
| boys and girls are. The means to this end
in the Old Schoomaster's' hands are very
numerous, sometimes they seem for the mo
ment not Joyous but grevous, but in the
end they work for the pupils intellectual
and moral salvation.
Every year for twenty-five years there
has come up under Mr. Bingham's hand q
new class Of boys and girls, many Of then
timid and shrinking and watching with half
scared eyes his quick alert movements and
his ominous eyebrow, and every year there
has gone out a class which has learned t.
appreciate to love and respect him.
. Of four children born to Mr. and Mrs
Bingham. three are now living, all resi-
dents Of Brattlchoro. These are Louise
wife of + II Putnam; Eugeuia, wife OF
DR. +. q. Pettee; and Chas +. Bingham
bookkeeper at the Peoples bank.